


The Epistles of Autania

by diogenku



Category: Original Work
Genre: Drabbles, Letters, Multi, Worldbuilding
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-03-09
Updated: 2017-03-08
Packaged: 2018-10-01 11:00:31
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 483
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10188470
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/diogenku/pseuds/diogenku
Summary: A series of letters from various people in Autania.





	

**Author's Note:**

> This is an exercise in worldbuilding and dicking around in my own sandbox; at some point I will probably make a quick guide to the vocab, but for now, use your imagination when you find a word you don't know.

Dear Hogardt,

I hope this letter finds you well. It’s been a few weeks since I’ve entered Old Octlaura, and I have only passed through one city so far. The countryside is beautiful though; I can see the roads that once linked together these many cities, though they’re grown over now with grass and the wagon tracks are barely visible. The horizon is so blue and the wind so unhurried, and the remnants of the buildings that are now abandoned here don’t creep me out as much as you teased me about. In fact, during the day they’re almost peaceful.

I have passed by travelers some days. The Octlaurans really do keep to themselves, after all, but they don’t seem hostile. In fact, one offered me bread when I was out and close to another town. I asked him what happened to the abandoned towns and buildings along the roads. Where had all the people gone?

He told me that when lands started getting annexed by Astrium and Fortrait, people started losing faith in the emperor. A lot of people packed up and left, and those that remained were looking for stronger leaders, and left to join existing cities that had strong chiefs and advisors. People just left their homes and their things where they lay, and headed off. He also told me that during those days, roving bandits weren’t an uncommon occurrence. Eventually they founded their own villages. Most of the people here are comfortable where they are now.

The town I’m mailing you this letter from is called Ameta. It’s small, a village of mostly farmers. That’s how most of the small villages are. The bigger cities have a wider variety of folks, but I haven’t gotten to the capitol yet so we’ll see how that looks!

Believe it or not it’s almost impossible to find an inn in this country. I asked for one a while back when I first arrived, and you wouldn’t believe the look they gave me. Like how you looked at Gell when she asked you if you liked her. But I’m being put up for the week by a nice Edaik family. Their little girl is adorable. She keeps pointing at my ears and babbling about them. They don’t even charge that much for me to inhabit their attic, which is quite nice. They even invite me down for meals! (I can’t eat much, though, considering it’s always chock full of meat.)

I hope things are still all right in the Cradle, and Gell and little Vara are doing all right. Tell mother I’m doing fine and I will write you my residence when I reach the capitol, and remember to bring flowers to father’s grave come the fall. By the time this letter reaches you, it should be soon, and I will be on my way again.

May the Spirits Serve you well,

Marias


End file.
